The subject matter of this disclosure relates generally to material property sensors, and more specifically, to a material property sensor operating in the RF/microwave region of the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum and applied to flowing and/or non-flowing material constituent fraction measurement.
Microwave sensors are often employed for multiphase flow measurement applications such as measurement of water in liquid rate (WLR) and gas fraction. Many challenges of microwave sensors are associated with the size of the antenna for lower frequencies, as the size of the antenna is related to frequency, since the lower the frequency, the larger is the antenna size. This characteristic leads to size constraints in sensor spools and also adversely affects pressure handling capability. A small size antenna allows larger pressure handling capability of the spool.
In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide an EM sensor particularly a RF/microwave sensor for multiphase flow measurement applications that allows further miniaturization of the sensor antenna, lowering of operating frequencies, enhanced evanescent wave coupling, a wider frequency band, and a higher pressure capability of spool structure.